(Newser)
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A 30-year-old New Zealand woman died of a heart attack in 2010, and her death has been linked to her consumption of about 2 gallons of Coca-Cola every day for several years. Natasha Marie Harris consumed about 4,000 calories of regular Coke daily, reports CBS News. "The first thing she would do in the morning was have a drink of Coke and the last thing she would do in the day was have a drink of Coke by her bed," her partner testified at an inquest this week. "She was addicted to Coke." The family wants warning labels on the product, notes the New Zealand Herald.

Harris also reportedly smoked around 30 cigarettes a day and ate very little. A pathologist testified that the primary cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia—an abnormal heartbeat often triggered by unhealthy habits. She also likely suffered from hypokalemia, a deficit of potassium in the bloodstream, probably brought on by the ingestion of large amounts of sugar and caffeine in the soda, he said. A Coke spokeswoman says the product is not at fault: "Grossly excessive ingestion of any food product, including water," combined with lousy nutrition, would do the same thing.

Does the fact that she is a mother of 8 (yes eight!) children at age 30 not figure into this either? Pregnancy and its hormones are rough on a body. Add in horrible habits of not eating right, drinking enough caffeine to kill a horse and smoking like a chimney... It surprises me she lasted as long as she did.

CharlesEskew

Apr 23, 2012 10:48 AM CDT

Ever hear of moderation? Self control perhaps?

USLady

Apr 23, 2012 10:08 AM CDT

Coke has no health value! it is liquid junk for the body.Those that drank it are not thinking of how it is going to benefit their bodies in any way.But do not be discouraged,there are many uses for Coke> 1. Remove grease stains from clothing and fabric (I had to start there) 2. Remove rust; methods include using fabric dipped in Coke, a sponge or even aluminum foil. 3. Remove blood stains from clothing and fabric. 4. Make gooey Coke funnel cakes . 5. Clean oil stains from a garage floor; let the stain soak, hose off. 6. Loosen a rusty bolt; pour on some Coke and wait for the magic to happen. 7. Kill slugs and snails; a small bowl of Coke will attract them, the acid will kill them. 8. Help a lawn become lush and green (see my lawn tonic article here ) 9. Prevent an asthma attack! Apparently, the caffeine in two 12oz cans can prevent the onset of an attack. 10. Defrost a frozen windshield. Apply liberally and wait (I’ll see if this works in winter) 11. Clean burnt pans; let the pan soak in the Coke, then rinse. 12. Descale a kettle using the same method in 11. 13. Neutralize a jellyfish sting. 14. Clean car battery terminals by pouring a small amount of Coke over each one. 15. Cure nausea; let a can of Coke go flat then take a teaspoon of Coke every hour. 16. Also, flat coke can help relieve an upset stomach (aka “the runs”) 17. Make a Mentos & Coke exploding fountain. This one takes a 2-liter bottle of Coke. 18. Get rid of hiccups; gargle with a big mouthful of ice-cold Coke. 19. Shake up a can and pour it over your windshield to remove bugs and other crud. 20. Use the method in 19 for your car bumpers, too. 21. Clean your engine; Coke distributors have been using this technique for decades. 22. Relieve congestion; boil and a can of Coke and drink while hot to clear you up. 23. Make a sweet BBQ sauce. Mix a can of Coke with ketchup and brush over ribs or chicken. 24. Baste a ham roast with Coke as it cooks. The sugars will caramelize; the ham will be moist. 25. Add a can of coke to your pot roast to tenderize it and add extra flavor. (Thanks Linsey). 26. Make pretty pennies; soaking old pennies in Coke will remove the tarnish. 27. Make your hair curly; pour flat Coke onto long hair, leave for a few minutes then rinse. 28. Age documents and photos; for that antique look, apply Coke, pat with paper, leave to dry. 29. Clean tile grout; pour onto kitchen floor, leave for a few minutes, wipe up. 30. Mix a can of Coke with a packet of Italian seasoning; cook a tough steak in it. 31. Make better compost; Coke increases the acidity, adds sugars and feeds microorganisms. 32. Dissolve a tooth in it; Use a sealed container, this takes ages. Why would you want to though, unless you’re Hannibal Lecter? 33. Remove gum from hair; dip into a small bowl of Coke, leave a few minutes. Gum will wipe off. 34. Get silky skin; mix a spoonful of Coke with regular lotion and apply liberally. 35. Make low-fat brownies . 36. Pour a little in a cup and set it out an hour before a picnic, away from your site; it will attract wasps and bees so they’re not bugging you and your grub. 37. Remove stains from vitreous china. More info on vitreous materials here . 38. Got a dirty pool? Add two 2-liter bottles of Coke to clear up the water (it acts as rust remover). 39. Add Coke to your laundry to remove bad smells, especially fish. 40. Remove (or fade) dye from hair by pouring diet Coke over it. 41. Mop a floor with Coke to make it sticky. It’s a movie industry trick to stop actors slipping. 42. Remove marker stains from carpet. Apply Coke, scrub, then clean with soapy water. 43. Clean a toilet; pour around bowl, leave for a while, flush clean. 44. Apply to skin for a deep tan (although this seems like a recipe for skin cancer to me). 45. Supposedly, drinking an 8oz can of Coke every day can prevent kidney stones. 46. Add it to a Sloppy Joe mix 47. Perk up your Azaleas or Gardenias. 48. Coke and aluminum foil will bring Chrome to a high shine. 49. Strip paint off metal furniture; soak a towel in Coke, sit it on the surface for days. Make sure you keep adding Coke to keep the towel wet. (Seems like a hassle, I’d rather buy paint stripper.)